Colombia bans wild animals in circuses

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – The Colombian Congress today passed Bill 244,2012 to end the use of wild animals in both static and traveling circuses after a six-year campaign following the release of evidence of animal suffering collected by investigators from Animal Defenders International.

ADI investigators worked undercover in South American circuses for two years filming, photographing and takes notes on the deprived environments, small cages, psychological suffering and the violent and brutal treatment of animals when being handled and trained. The evidence shocked the continent and governments in South America have been swift to take action to show that such treatment of animals is unacceptable in civilized society.

The ADI campaign was launched in Colombia in 2007 with a screening of its first investigation, the images from which were some of the most sickening ADI investigators have ever seen. Since the launch of the investigations, bans have been introduced in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay.

Circuses will have two years to comply with the new legislation.

National measures to restrict either all or wild animals in circuses are in place in over 20 countries, including: Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Malta, Slovakia, Sweden, Portugal, Taiwan, Singapore, Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Costa Rica, India and Israel.Similar laws are being discussed in the United Kingdom, United States, Netherlands, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Norway.